February is generally a fairly uneventful month for me. Sure, it begins with Pops' birthday, which is always a good time. But after the early joy of giving wears off, there's really not much else to look forward to. Valentine's Day is fine (I'm obviously always up for chocolate), but when you're single and have the flu on V-Day (I am, and I did), you think things couldn't get much worse. The one thing that has totally saved this February and even catapulted it into a favored spot in my ranking of months is the 2010 winter Olympics. I have been absolutely glued to my television, feeling the pain of every skier who wipes out and slides down the mountain on her face, and gasping in horror and disappointment as the figure skaters land on their bottoms after attempting triple axles.
The odd thing about watching the Olympics is how these athletes make us viewers think that we are way more talented than we are. They make everything look so easy; it can't be THAT difficult, can it? I haven't skied in almost two years, and before then, I hadn't touched a mountain in nearly half a decade. Those facts aside, watching my girls Lindsey and Julia make their turns with such ease and grace at 80 miles per hour makes me think that tackling a black diamond would be a cinch. And of course the folks over at NBC are keen on making every American athlete into a human interest story, so I'm now totally invested in them. I know who's friends with whom, who spends Christmas at whose cabins, and who listens to which songs during their warm ups. It's pretty absurd. And you absolutely have to laugh at the way the camera zooms in on every medalist's profile during the medal ceremonies, desperately trying to catch a tear - or at the very least, a moist eye. (The camera was disappointed by Shaun White in that respect.)
Though I think it's probably (I say "probably," rather than "certainly" because I don't like to ever lose total hope) a tad too late in life to set my sights on the Olympics, watching these games has reignited my competitive athletic nature. And it's perfect timing, as my firm softball season is fast approaching. I haven't picked up my glove in over a year, and I've never even attempted to hit slow pitch before, but I'm beyond stoked to get back on the field. Unfortunately, I'm not sure intramural firm sports carry the same weight as college varsity. (I don't think Coach telling a partner I have an 8pm game will get me out of a late night of work the same way an away game in Vermont excused me from Friday afternoon classes.) But if all goes as planned, our team will be so successful, we will become the pride and joy of the firm (earning a headline on the internal website), and they will hold happy hours in our honor. I have big, big plans. So, if you're reading this and you work with me, please PLEASE join our softball team. I don't want any of this forfeiting because we can't field a full team. Let's go people - make it a priority.
And on that note, it's time to watch Apolo Ohno snag the bronze. Team USA, you make me proud every day. (Yes, I am a cheese ball.)
